1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to filters for coffeemakers and, more particularly, is concerned with a disposable filter with a drawstring for enabling removal and disposal of the filter bag from the basket of the coffeemaker without spilling the moist coffee grounds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical automatic drip coffeemaker has a rear reservoir for containing a desired quantity of cold water, an upper basket for supporting a disposable porous filter bag which holds a desired quantity of coffee grounds, a lower warming plate for supporting a carafe directly below a lower outlet of the upper basket, and a heating chamber and element located below the reservoir and connected in communication with an upper inlet to the upper basket for providing a flow of hot water from the heating chamber into the upper basket. The drip coffeemaker thus operates by dripping hot water, which is near boiling temperature, into the expanded open filter bag where the hot water seeps downward through the bed of coffee grounds mixing with and dissolving portions of the coffee grounds to brew the coffee which then flows from the lower outlet of the upper basket into the carafe.
Once the desired quantity of coffee has been brewed, the heating element of the coffeemaker is turned off and the upper basket is removed to permit removing and disposing of the filter bag. Heretofore, the procedure has been to use one's fingers to grip and gather together the upper peripheral edge of the filter bag, lift the bag from the basket and transfer it into a trash bag.
However, due to the high temperature of the water that has soaked the filter bag and the steam being given off by the hot coffee grounds contained in the moist filter bag, it is easy to react to the hot temperature by loosing one's grip on the hot peripheral edge of the bag during lifting and transferring the bag to the trash receptacle. The unfortunate result is that much of the used wet coffee grounds are typically spilled on the countertop and floor, necessitating a messy cleanup operation. Even if the wet filter bag is successfully transfer to the trash bag, the wet coffee grounds tend to spill from the filter bag when it is dropped into the trash bag, creating an unpleasant condition in the trash bag which usually results in the trash bag being changed more often than necessary.
Consequently, a need exists for an improved way to easily remove a disposable filter bag from the coffeemaker basket which will reduce contact with the hot bag and thereby reduce the likelihood of accidental spilling of the wet coffee grounds.